Governor Fintiri flouted airport COVID-19 protocol, FAAN alleges

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has condemned Adamawa Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri for allegedly flouting safety protocols put in place at the airport.

The Governor was said to have refused to have his temperature checked and being sanitised by the health officials stationed at the airport.

In compliance with the Governor’s action, his entourage of eight also reportedly refused to have their temperature checked nor being sanitised.

FAAN also accused the team at the airport to receive the Governor and his aides of driving right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and Aviation Security instructions.
Fintiri is the second VIP alleged to have violated the public health procedures since some airports reopened last week for domestic flight operations.

Former Zamfara Governor Abdulaziz Yari also allegedly breached protocols at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport last week when he refused an officer from the environment department from disinfecting his luggage.

The reactions to Fintiri’s conducs were contained in a series of tweet posted in the early hours of Thursday by FAAN on its official twitter handle, @FAAN_Official.

The tweet reads: “The Management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hereby strongly condemns the conduct of the Governor of Adamawa state Alh. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who arrived Port Harcourt International Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020 with 8 others, and who flagrantly refused to observe the Airport Security and Public Health protocols as directed by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on #COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials.

“His whole entourage of 8 did exactly as he did. The team that came to receive them drove right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and Aviation Security instructions.

“This irresponsible act endangers all other airport users, it is unacceptable, and as such it has also been duly escalated.

“FAAN hereby cautions all airport users, especially our esteemed VIPs, to please respect the Presidential directive by observing airport security and public health travel protocols put in place to protect all air travelers against acts of unlawful interference, infection and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.”